Train signaling device



(N0 Model.)

J. LYNCH. TRAIN SIGNALING. DEVICE.

Patented Mar. 1. 1892.

INVENTOH:

M/M MJ A TTOHNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN LYNCH, OF JAMESTOWN, NORTH DAKOTA.

TRAIN SIGNALING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,065, dated March 1,1892.

I Application filed June 11,1891. Serial No. 395,955. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN LYNCH, of Jamestown, in the county of Stutsmanand State of NorthDakota, have invented a new and useful Train SignalingDevice, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

In the operation of railroads itis usual to indicate bya visible signalat stations on the line of road when trains are to be stopped fororders, this being imperative on railroads that are using the blocksystem.

The code of signals ordinarily employed on railroads has white asasafety signal, and as the track is always clear when said signal isdisplayed at a station it is obviously the cor: rect signal to exhibitwhen there are no orders for a train boundin either direction on theroad, while red being the danger-signal, in all cases where it isemployed the display of such a colored signal is a proper notice totrain-men on an approaching train that orders await said train and thatit is dangerous to proceed without them.

In view of the foregoing it is the object of this invention to provide asimple and inexpensive device which will afford means to reliably signaleither by night or daylight that the track is clear or that train-ordersare awaiting a train or locomotive from either direction of travel onthe road.

To these ends my invention consists in the construction and combinationof parts, as is hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthisspecification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device projected from the side of astation-building shown in part, the signal being shownas set to indicatesafety. Fig. 2 is aplan view of the signaling mechanism on a bracket-armshown in part and adjusted to indicate safety by a white light. Fig. 3is a side view of the signaling device set to indicate danger on abracket-arm shown in part. Fig. 4 represents the interior of thestation-building wall, a window therein, and levers used to set thesignals, that are exterior of the-building and projected over the trackor near thereto;

vice is to be operated. From the exterior of the wall A a stronghorizontal bracket-arm B is outwardly projected toward therailroadtracks (not shown) which are to be guarded by the signal. On theouter end of the arm B a standard B is erected, the use of which will befurther explained.

An extension-limb 0, consisting of a metal bar, is firmly secured to thebracket-arm B by the bolts or rivets a, which limb is bent edgewisedownwardly and outwardly,as at a, which will dispose the main portion ofthe limb in a lower plane than the arm B.

Two similar rock-shafts D are provided, which are preferably formed ofround metal bars that are of sufficient length to extend from the innerside of the wall Am the outer end of the limb O, which latter shouldreach outwardly a proper distance to conspicuously display a signalplaced on it, as will be described.

The rock-shafts D are each furnished with a double crank I), located atproper and equal distances from their terminal ends, and are supportedto rock below the bracket-arm B by boxes 0 c, that are affixed to theunder side of the bracket-arm, and also by their loose engagement withan integral perforated crossblock 0 formed on the outer end of the limbC, the offset produced at b in said limb permitting the rock-shafts tofreely enter central perforations in the cross-block, so as to receiverotatable support therefrom, the rods ranging on a center line drawnlongitudinally through the extension limb on each side thereof, asindicated in Figs. and 5. From the position given to the cranks b theywill lie near to the outer end of the bracket-arm B.

Upon the outer end portion of the extension-limb O a plate-metalsemaphore-blade E is secured in a vertical plane. Said blade, beingpreferably given a square outline, is affixed in place upon the limb sothat two of its corners will conform with the longitudinal center lineof the limb and the other corners of the blade be in a vertical plane,as shown in Fig. 1.

Two similar auxiliary signal-blades F are provided, which are of atriangular form, and in dimensions each equals the area of onehalf ofthe main signal-blade E.

The auxiliary signal-blades F are secured firmly by any proper means onthe outer portions of the rock-shafts D by their longest edges, so thateach auxiliary blade will hang or extend in the same direction and planewith the double crank b on the shaft it is affixed upon, and,furthermore, so that the upper or lower half of the main semaphorebladeE will be entirely covered by an auxiliary blade, the concealment ofeither half-section of said main semaphore-blade E depending upon therelative position given to the auxiliary blade by a rocking movement ofthe shaft it is supported upon, this being equally true with regard toboth faces of the main semaphore-blade.

The upper half of the main semaphoreblade E is given a red color and thelower half awhite color on each side, and the outer surface of eachauxiliary signal-blade F is colored red, which side is exposed outwardlywhen said auxiliary blades are in a pendent position, and their innerfaces are colored white, so that the elevation of an auxiliary blade oneither side of the main blade will denote safety or no orders to a trainapproaching the station and so signaled, and the pendent position ofeither auxiliary blade will indicate danger or orders for a trainreceiving such a signal, which it is imperative for the trainmen on thesignaled train to receive by an arrest of the train and a visit to theoffice.

As a preferred means to rock the shaft D independently and thus enablean operator in the office to show a red signal for orders on one side ofthe main semaphore-blade E and permit the other side to remain white incolor and thusindicate no orders or safety there is a crank-arm (Zattached to the inner end of each rock-shaft that is located in theoffice, of which A is the wall, said cranks being so secured thereonthat when inclined upwardly, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the auxiliaryblades F will be rocked into an upright position, so as to conceal theupper half-sections of the main semaphore-blade E and therefore indicatesafety or no orders.

On the outer end of each crank-arm cl a pendent pusher-bar e ispivotally secured, which bars are perforated at proper points to looselyengage the projecting pins g, that are aflixed in the upright wall A atsuch points as will retain the pn sher-bars and crank-arms in theposition shown in Figs. 1 and 4:, so that by an elevation of either orboth of the pusherbars and their removable attachment to the pins thesemaphore-signal will be set on one or both sides of the same toindicate safety or no orders, and it will be seen that the release ofthe pusher-bars is all that is necessary to set the signal to danger onboth sides of the same, as the parts will fall into position to displaya red signal by their gravity, when free to do so.

The construction of parts which has been described is mainlyinstrumental in the displaying of colored signal-blades for theindication of danger or safety signals by daylight; but by the additionof other simple features the moving of the pusher-bars e and attachedrock-shafts D will serve to indicate safety, or danger, orders, or noorders at night also. To this end an ordinary signal-lantern G isutilized, which lantern is located upon an upwardly-project ing pin it,that is formed on or secured to the upper surface of the limb C, asshown in Fig. 3, by the breaking away of the lower part of the lanternto expose said pin, the lantern being thereby retained in an up,- rightposition with its glazed sides '5 opposite the railroad-track, so as tobe seen on either side of the signal device when the lantern is lightedat night. The position of the signallantern G is so removed from thestandard B that freedom is afforded for the vibratory movement of twolevers I, that are pivoted by one end of each oppositely on the verticalface of the standard and have such a proportionate length as will allowthe similar translucent signal-disks m, that are affixed one on eachlever end, to completely coverthe glazed faces ofthe lantern when thelevers are caused to vibrate on their pivots, so as to effect such anadjustment of the disks, which latter are of a red color. Theleversl areeach attached loosely to one end of a link a, that is connected to thecrank Z) of a rock-shaftD on the same side of the standard with regardto the lever connected thereto, so that the manipulation of thepusher-bars e, or either of them, will cause the vibration of theconnected levers or lever and thus display a red light through the diskthat is caused to cover the lantern-face.

It will be evident that the auxiliary signalblades F will be manipulatedsimultaneously with the colored disks m and that when the levers I,.oreither of them, are lowered to cause a red light to be exhibited on oneor both sides of the signal the auxiliary blades will be correspondinglymoved and thus expose a red surface on the semaphore-blade, of whichthey are supplementary portions, and, furthermore, that the removal ofthe disks 0% will show a white or uncolored light through the plainglazed surfaces of the lantern G and indicate safety or no orders atnight as well as by daylight.

As a matterof convenience the pusher-bars 6 may be arranged close to awindow J and table M, the latter containing the usualtelegraphing-instruments, (not shown,) the window affording means toinspect the track and dinarily used on railroads and can be placed inposition and removed to light and trim it by using a pole that isadapted to hook into the bail-handle 0 of the lantern When thelatter isto be changed in position.

The simplicity and practical nature of this signaling device aremanifest points of excel- .lence, cheapness and non-liability ofderangement, owing to its few Working parts, that are durable, formingadditional features of advantage.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. In a train signaling device, the combination, witha supported horizontal bracket-arm and a rectangular mainsemaphore-blade on the outer end of the arm, affixed with two corners inavertical plane,having its upper half colored White, of a pendentauxiliary blade on each side of the main semaphore-blade, colored red onthe sides that are shown when pendent and white on the sides displayedwhen rocked upwardly, a rock-shaft for each auxiliary blade, journaledto rock on the horizontal bracket-arm, and a device for rocking eachshaft from its inner end and lockingit, substantially as described.

2. In a train signaling device, the combina-e tion, with a vertical wallof a building, a horizontal bracket-arm thereon, a standard on the outerend of the arm, and a square semaphore blade secured on the standard topro ject therefrom and having two of its corners in a vertical plane, oftwo similar rock-shafts horizontally journaled in the depending end ofthe standard and outer end of an extension limb of the bracket-arm, eachhaving a double crank in its body near the outer end of the bracket-arm,a triangular auxiliary blade for each rock-shaft, secured on their ends,extend- Vers to indicate danger or orders simultaneously, substantiallyas described.

3. In a train signaling device, the combination, with a flat mainsemaphore -blade of square outline having-a fixed support on an armextended from a building toward a railroad and colored red on each sideabove a center line and white below said line, of tworotatably-supported horizontal rock-shafts parallel with each other andaligning with the opposite sides of they main semaphore-blade, atriangular auxiliary semaphore-blade affixed by its largest edge to theouter end portion of each rock-shaft and adapted to cover either thelower or upper half of each side, of the main semaphore-blade whenrocked by the shaft, one side of each auxiliary blade having a red colorand the opposite side a white color, the red color being shown when theauxiliary blades are pendent and the white color when they are elevated,a fixed crank-arm on the inner end of each rock-shaft, a pendentpusherbar pivoted to the free end of each crank, and means for retainingsaid bars in elevated adjustment, substantially as described.

JOHN LYNCH. Witnesses: 1

PIERCE} BLUVETT, HUGH MoPHEE.

